Margin in our lives

A thought came to me while I was walking towards church. The thought was about having margin in our lives. It will be instrumental for God’s use and it will do us good. For the past week, I was given quite a few opportunities to interact with commuters, share my experiences, helped a person on the wheelchair, gave up a seat to a mother with a child and observed human behaviour. I thought it is exciting especially if I can share my faith with those I meet. As I reflect on this, I realise that it will be difficult for me to do so if I am on the vehicle. Personally, for this season of my life, this is the margin that is created whereby I can be flexible to allow God to write in it. It will add in another dimension to my faith journey. Like a notebook with a margin drawn, I would like to encourage all of us to have margin in our lives.

What is this margin about?

I would like to liken it to the time that we have. In the Bible, time can be equated to opportunity. And we are challenged to make the most of every opportunity in the days that we are living. (Eph 5:16). We are also challenged by Paul to pray that God will give us many opportunities to speak about Christ and that we will be wise to make the most of every opportunity. (Col 4:2-5)

But the problem is that if we do not create the margin in our lives, then there will not be any space for God to write on. When opportunities arise, we may not have the time or flexibility to seize them. Imagine the frustration that comes when you have a good inspiration out of the sudden to write but there is no more space left on that piece of paper. Personally I believe that more opportunities will be given. I believe that God wants to use us more. But if we do not have the margin for God to write, we can miss out so much.

My thoughts are:  

1) If we do not create the margin in our lives, there will NEVER be any margin at all.

It is because we are too busy filling our schedules with things that are not necessary OR we are allowing people to fill up our schedules with things that are important to them.

2) When we have that margin in our lives, we can be flexible when God call us to do certain things out of the normal.

We need to have a normal schedule of spending time with our family, serving God in the church, fellowship with Christians, meeting up with non-Christian friends, working in the place God has placed us in and so on. But sometimes, when God gives us extra assignment OR when there is help needed somewhere OR when there is opportunity during that period of time, that margin we have created will enable us to act without much adjustment.

In conclusion, while we must not neglect time with people who are important, we must also be deliberate to make margin in our lives for God to write in. God will definitely use it.

Why business fail?

I looked at the stall. The stall has 2 chickens, some pork and other meats that made the stall profitable. I went to place an order, “Can I have chicken rice and some pork with it?”

The uncle looked at me. Then he looked back at his other partner who was cutting up some raw meats and shouted, “Do you have chicken rice and “chao siew” (pork)?” The other business partner did not answer. The uncle who I ordered from said, “Sorry ah…today no more chicken and pork…sorry ah”

I answered “Ok” and I walked off.

Apparently, these 2 guys must have some issues with one another. Hopefully, I will return one day to check whether the stall has closed down or there is a change in partners.

Business failed because of relationships, especially with the partners.

Customers do not purchase because they fear that because of the bad relationship, their food is ‘poisoned’.

Customers do not purchase because they do not want themselves to be caught in situations like that.

Bottomline: Relationship is very important. Good relationship itself is a blessing from God.

Proverbs 16:7 (NASB)
⁷ When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.

 When God bless us according to Proverbs 16:7, what tremendous opportunities we will have in all areas of our lives.

As we pursue good relationships, let’s also be good to others. We do not want our businesses, our ministries or our work for God to fail. 

Rectifying of dysfunction personality

I was reading the first few pages of the book "Overcoming the Darkside of Leadership" and can't agree much that it is true that every leader suffers from some degree of personal dysfunction and that can be the driving force of the ministry and the things one carries out.
Yet I was reminded in Scripture that when we are IN CHRIST who is the perfect model for us, we are able to rectify these negative effects. How do we see that happened?

Romans 13:14 (NASB) ¹⁴ But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

Galatians 2:20 (NASB) ²⁰ "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.

Colossians 3:15-16 (NASB) ¹⁵ Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

We will be able to rectify those dysfunctional personality by allowing Jesus Christ to live in us and by subjecting ourselves to live in accordance to His Words. When our lives are conformed to the whole counsel of the Word, what an impact it will be in our leadership and our lives.

God answers Prayers and we need to...

God answers prayers and sometimes He does it at amazing speed.
While I was driving to work this morning, I was praying for myself that I would lay hold of what Jesus has prepared for me (Eph 2:10).
I was telling God that I would love to speak more. It will be wonderful to develop further in the area of preaching and teaching. I would love my words to be of life and of liberty. I was asking for speaking opportunities and opportunities to be a blessing.
Quite amazingly, when I reached the office, I received a call from a pastor and he told me he needed a preacher for certain date due to certain reason. Praise the Lord!

I was also praying for the course that I am going to conduct "Hearing the voice of God" and was asking God to drop ideas to what I already have and again I must say that God is quite amazing in answering this in a tangible way. I went to a bookstore to collect my books for my theological course. Being very purposeful, I would normally go in, collect the books, pay and leave the place. Yet today, I was arrested by a book: Hearing God. Browse through it, did not give much thoughts and bought it. I believe it could be God answering.
Looking through the book and love the pages.

Friends, in our journey of faith, God is not a silence God who is unreachable. He is there and He is waiting to answer His children. We need to ask and we need to be sensitive to His answer. Sometimes we may need to take risk in responding. God will guide us in learning how to listen to Him. He wants us to know His Voice and He promises us that we will know His Voice (John 10:27).

Ephesians 2:10 (NASB)
¹⁰ For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.


John 10:27 (NASB)
²⁷ "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me;